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Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Title : Guess Who?Author : Geeta DharmarajanIllustrations by the Children of Katha Lab School

For Age : 3 years and above

This new book by Katha reached me when I was in Chandigarh (my hometown) on annual holidays. 'Guess Who?' is a very small book written in verse but this book sent me in the memory lanes of the times when I was my kids' age - 7-8 years. In those simpler times the summer vacation meant just playing and playing in the open and a little bit of leisure reading. Most of the time was spent in or around nature. Since there was no television or computer, so no staring at any screen for long hours, there were no coolers or Air conditioners, so no artificially modified air entered our systems and in contrast to that, the children of today are in close proximity to one or the other electronic gadget, artificial/machine-produced environment almost all the time. It’s a pity they are losing touch with the rich and abundant nature on daily basis.

The books like 'Guess Who?' provide the much needed speed-breakers in our lives, which make us halt for a while (even though for a very little while) and appreciate the beautiful scene around us. The book draws our attention to the colorful friends in the sky symbolizing the free spirits, bright colored butterflies amazing us by exhibiting unlimited range of nature's color palette, innumerable creatures in the deep blue waters of our oceans and unimaginable range of plants and animals.

When we start noticing just a bit of them, we marvel at the creativity and passion of the great magician who made this all possible and who is gracing all of us with His divine presence. So isn’t this a good time to bow down in gratitude for these unmatched gifts!!

A lovely attempt to connect the children to the nature all over again and to encourage them to offer gratefulness to the great creator of this whole magic. My appreciation for publishers like Katha increases manifolds when I come across such sparkling pearls. The beauty of the written words has been accentuated by the art work by children of Katha Lab school.

@utbt: Give the list. You shall be supplied all of them. Btw just today we got a compilation by Katha called 'The Carpenter's Apprentice and Other Stories', has stories that had been published in Target. There's a faster Fenay story (remember the TV serial by the same name?) that bought a big smile on yours truly's face!

Hey, Chox, we have the entire 'faster feney' series at home, in the original Marathi. I loved reading his escapades as a kid, and want to introduce him to A when she is a little older. A 'Malgudi days' of sorts. @Vibha, will look out for this one. Looks great. And I too remember having the kind of carefree days in childhood. Pity it's not much possible these days even in gated communities. So much has changed. Sigh!

@Sandhya: Loved your home library, all the more because it has so much Marathi stuff.Btw I've been asked to set up a library in a school for underprivileged children in Bangalore. Will take pointers from ST reviews.

OK, picked up this book today. Remembered that you had reviewed it, Vibha.The book comes with a poster complete with the poem by Geeta Dharmarajan. It is the perfect size for a table mat. We are going to get it laminated for that purpose.:)